Context and Neuroendocrine Interplay in the Lab and Everyday Experiences: From Early Life to Adulthood

Whereas many other disciplines tend to overlook the role of context—that is, the environment—from its earliest days, the field of psychoneuroendocrinology has appreciated the connection between context and neurobiological functioning. Context shapes neurobiological systems in development, evokes neurobiological responses, and moderates the magnitude and even the directionality of those neurobiological responses. In the present symposium, four speakers will present talks that use samples and environmental measures spanning from early life to adulthood to: demonstrate a central role for the environment, point us toward which environments matter most in the prediction of health and well-being, and yield new insights about the functioning of neuroendocrine systems.